Ron Holland Design

What Ron Holland Design does

Ron Holland Design is a privately held boutique naval architecture and custom yacht design studio founded by Ron Holland in 1974 in County Cork, Ireland and now headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. The studio employs approximately 5 people and operates as a founder-led design practice specializing in custom sailing yachts and motor yachts ranging from 26-foot vessels to 210-foot superyachts, including race-winning IOR and Maxi designs, ocean-crossing performance ketches, and long-distance voyaging motor yachts. Core technology consists of proprietary naval architecture expertise emphasizing energy efficiency, performance optimization, and integration of modern systems with traditional aesthetics; the firm also adopts newer client-facing tools including VR-based design visualization.

The firm's revenue model is project-based professional services delivered through two streams: (i) direct custom yacht design commissions from ultra-high-net-worth owners such as Jim Kilroy, Steven and Dorothea Green, and Bill and Shannon Joy, and (ii) long-term design collaborations with luxury shipyards (Perini Navi, Royal Huisman, Cheoy Lee, RMK Turkey, Southern Pacific Yachts, Nautor's Swan) supplying naval architecture and series designs for production and semi-custom yachts. Commercial activity is global, with engagements spanning Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Marketing and client development run through the firm website, premium boat shows (Monaco, St Barths Bucket, Fort Lauderdale, Southampton), yacht club speaking engagements, and the founder's 2018 memoir 'All The Oceans', with industry visibility reinforced by awards including the 2019 Boat International Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2019 and 2020 World Superyacht Awards Voyager Awards, and the 2018 Foreword INDIES Silver Medal.

Name

Ron Holland Design

Legal name

Ron Holland Design

Website

https://ronhollanddesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ron Holland Design is a Vancouver-based boutique naval architecture studio founded in 1974 that provides custom sailing and motor yacht design services for ultra-high-net-worth owners and luxury shipyards such as Perini Navi and Royal Huisman, with vessels ranging from 26 feet to 210 feet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Yacht Design

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (54142), Industrial Design Services (541420)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Project Management & Owner’s Engineering / Technical Consultancy (Spec Writing, Bid Support, Site Support) (IMAJAGAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury Sailing Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAC), Motor Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAB), Explorer Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAE)

Keywords

• Custom yacht design
• Naval architecture
• Superyacht design
• Sailing yacht design
• Motor yacht design

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Custom Yacht Design Commissions: Ron Holland Design generates revenue through custom yacht design commissions. The studio designs yachts from concept through construction, working directly with clients, shipyards, and interior designers. Each project is a bespoke engagement from sketch to sail.
2. Design Collaborations with Shipyards: Long-term working relationships with shipyards like Perini Navi, Royal Huisman, Cheoy Lee, and others where the studio provides naval architecture and design services for production yachts

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ron Holland Design is a boutique yacht design studio that creates custom naval architecture and design for sailing yachts and motor yachts ranging from 26-foot designs to 210-foot superyachts. The studio takes each project from initial concept and sketch through construction, working directly with clients and shipyards to deliver high-performance, energy-efficient vessels. Core work encompasses superyacht design, racing yacht design, and ocean-voyaging motor yacht design.

Product overview

Ron Holland Design is a boutique yacht design studio offering custom sailing and motor yacht design services. The core offerings include naval architecture for sailing yachts (ranging from racing designs to 100ft+ superyachts) and motor yachts optimized for ocean voyaging. Additional services encompass interior styling, VR design visualization, and yacht design education through mentorship and published works. The studio collaborates with shipyards including Perini Navi, Royal Huisman, Cheoy Lee, and Southern Pacific Yachts to deliver complete yacht designs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Sailing Yacht Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 23 yachts delivered through Perini Navi collaboration
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Perini NavicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Long-term strategic collaboration beginning with the 64 metre (210 ft) ketch Felicita West, at the time the largest aluminum yacht ever built. The partnership has delivered 23 yachts to date including Perseus^3, Rosehearty, Seahawk, Seven, and State of Grace. A 60-metre ketch is presently under construction at the Viareggio shipyard. This is the company's most significant and ongoing design collaboration.
• Royal HuismancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilder of Ethereal (190ft performance ketch) designed by Ron Holland Design with Pieter Beeldsnijder. Also builder of Juliet after hybrid conversion. Royal Huisman is a premium Dutch shipyard specializing in large sailing yachts.
• Cheoy LeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilder of the Trans-Ocean Explorer Yacht Marco Polo and subsequent Mazu motor yacht. Also builder of Dorothea III (45-metre motor yacht) which won the 2020 World Superyacht Awards Voyager Award.
• Nautor's SwancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuring the 1970s and 1980s Nautor's Swan commissioned Ron Holland Design to develop a series of designs based on successful IOR racing designs. Notable projects include 'imp' and the 100-foot Garuda. This partnership produced numerous production series yachts.
• RMK TurkeyminorOthersBuilder of Karia motor yacht (148 feet / 45 metres) designed by Ron Holland Design with interior styling by Design Unlimited.
• Southern Pacific YachtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilder of Avalon (109 feet sailing yacht) in New Zealand by Michael Fay, Tom Clark and Tim Gurr's Southern Pacific Yachts, launched in the mid 1980s.
• University of AucklandminorOthersRon Holland participated in developing the Master of Engineering Studies in Yacht Engineering program. Instructed students in yacht design and engineering including The Influence of Early Voyages of Discovery, Evolution of Sail Boats, and Yacht Aesthetics.
• UBC (University of British Columbia)minorOthersRon Holland Design studio hosts UBC NAME class and Professor McKesson visits. Also involved with UBC Sailbot Team student mentorship.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dykstra Naval Architects: Dutch naval architecture firm focused on classic and performance sailing superyachts. Directly comparable boutique design studio serving the same UHNW market and working with leading European shipyards.
• Dubois Naval Architects: UK-based custom sailing yacht design studio specializing in high-performance superyachts. Directly comparable as a boutique naval architecture firm serving UHNW clients and collaborating with premium shipyards.
• Sparkman & Stephens: Historic US yacht design firm with extensive custom sailing yacht portfolio. Comparable as an established boutique design studio serving premium clients over decades.
• Philippe Briand Ltd: French/UK yacht designer specializing in performance sailing yachts and superyachts. Comparable boutique practice delivering bespoke naval architecture to UHNW clients globally.
• Germán Frers Naval Architecture: Argentine/Italian yacht design office with multi-generational legacy in custom sailing yachts. Comparable legendary boutique practice serving the superyacht and racing segments.
• Humphreys Yacht Design: UK-based yacht design firm with deep racing heritage producing custom sailing yachts. Comparable as a boutique studio combining racing pedigree with superyacht design expertise.
• Farr Yacht Design: US-based design firm with deep racing heritage producing both racing and cruising yacht designs. Comparable boutique practice combining performance optimization with custom superyacht work.
• Tripp Design: US-based performance sailing yacht design office. Comparable boutique practice specializing in custom sailing yacht naval architecture for racing and cruising applications.
• Hoek Design Naval Architects: Netherlands-based design studio for classic and modern sailing superyachts. Comparable boutique practice delivering custom naval architecture to UHNW owners with strong ties to premium Dutch shipyards.

Regional players

• Malcolm Tennant Design: New Zealand-based yacht designer with focus on fast cruising and performance sailing yachts. Comparable boutique practice sharing Ron Holland's NZ heritage and serving the Southern Hemisphere superyacht market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ronhollanddesign

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ron Holland Design